It is my personal preference that there never be ANY money in the sport
of endurance; that the sport remain a "pure" sport. But this isn't
realistic. We CANNOT keep money out of endurance (or maybe better put "out of distance racing.") Therefore, the next best thing is for the
membership to design a control system NOW within AERC that protects our
horses and our "grass roots" structure. It is important that the goals
of the MAJORITY of endurance riders not dimished or damaged. It is
important that we as an organization use our collective experience and
intelligence to see the future and plan for it accordingly.
Diana Benson
--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: dbenson@juno.com (Diana L. Benson)
Subject: money in endurance
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 12:00:01 PST
Message-ID: <19961205.120008.4279.2.dbenson@juno.com>
There is a simple solution to everyone's concerns about cash awards in
the sport of endurance - and it can please most everyone! Let me go
back to 1990 in Stockholm.
I was "road crew" in Stockholm. Just went on my own to be part of
something big and to help out learn. (I have been in endurance since 1985 and interested in the concept of international racing since 1987).
After the race, we had a meeting at the hotel there to discuss the
future of AERC vs. international endurance, etc. Everyone was in the
same uproar then about international vs AERC as I am seeing now
regarding cash awards. After a while, it came to me that it didn't have
to be "versus;" it could be "and." There was a simple way to accommodate
those who wished to keep AERC a grass roots organization and those who
wanted to compete internationally. That was to make a "sub-organization" that AERC members could join additionally and finance additionally.
Some people there actually jumped up and yelled in my face how stupid
the idea was and how it couldn't possibly work. But some other heros
defended me, also, for, if nothing else, speaking up. Afterwards, I was
asked to write up these suggestions and send them in. Apparently others
agreed because this is what we have now - and it seems to be working.
The only reason I am writing this is to lay the groundwork for a similar
concept:
Create "AERC Professional" another sub-organization of AERC in addition to AERC International - If you want to run for money, you must be a member
of AERC Professional. Any endurance ride sanctioned by AERC giving a
single prize of over, say $50 IN VALUE or CASH must be part
of/sanctioned by AERC Professional.
The purpose of these "sub-organizations" in my mind is to keep the
integrity, original purpose and function of the grassroots AERC pure.
We ALL hold the basic AERC very dear. Let's not damage it. Let's build
on it.
--------- End forwarded message ----------